You can effectively propagate a changed property value across drawing boundaries. If a changed property value is propagated and it reaches an OPC, it simply stops at that point. An inconsistency indicator at the OPC shows that the value in the active drawing is inconsistent with the value on the connected pipe in the continuation drawing. To resolve this type of inconsistency, the user must open the continuation drawing. With the continuation drawing open, the user can double-click on the inconsistency indicator to display the Consistency Check dialog. One of the solutions available for resolving inconsistencies is to copy the property value from the first drawing into the active drawing. When this solution is used, the property value from the pipe run in the first drawing is copied to the pipe run in the active drawing and spreads outward from there according to the standard propagation rules. Thus, property values can be propagated across document boundaries.
Inconsistencies
System Editing never expands across an inconsistency for the property being propagated. For a given set of connected items with a consistent property value, System Editing allows you to easily change that value to a new value. However, if the items are not consistent to begin with (inconsistencies exist), then System Editing will not automatically make them consistent. Other tools are available (such as Solutions on the Consistency Check dialog) for resolving inconsistencies.
Break Components
Some components inherently limit the copying and suppress the consistency checking of certain properties. For example, a reducer is a break component for the Nominal Diameter property. When changing the Nominal Diameter in a pipeline, the spread of that change is limited by any reducers that exist in that pipeline. The consistency checking that would normally be done between the connected pipes is also suppressed at the reducer.
A break component can be created for any property or collection of properties of a pipe run. To create a break component, you must first create a special filter. This filter must apply to pipe runs and must include the properties to be broken as criteria in the filter. The value for each property in the filter is not important. Then, you have to open the symbol in Catalog Manager and select the Property Breaks command to select the filter.
When using a nozzle as a break component, the properties to be broken need to be added to the Piping Point item type in Data Dictionary Manager. Also, the 'Process Pipe Run To Nozzle' rule in Rule Manager (under Plant Rules > Relationship > Piping) needs to be modified by adding the required properties for Piping Point 1 of the nozzle to the consistency checks.
For more details, see under the section Creating Property Breaks in Catalog Manager Help.
After creating a break component, when it is placed into a drawing, it breaks the specified properties.
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A nozzle cannot be used as a break component for the Nominal Diameter property.
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Smart P&ID allows pipe runs to be associated with a different plant group other than the one the drawing resides in. If you break the pipe run by inserting a break component such as a reducer, both pipe runs will retain the original value of the Plant Group ID property (it is not changed to the plant group the drawing resides in).
Break Labels
The consistency criteria specified in the rules define the general behavior of the properties. Break labels provide a way to define exceptions to the general rules. A break label provides a visible and plottable symbol that signifies the end of one property value condition and the beginning of a new condition along a pipe. A changed property value is never propagated across a break label for that property. A break label also suppresses consistency checking for the property it breaks.
A break label can be created for any property or collection of properties of a pipe run. A break label is created in the Catalog Manager just like any other label, except that the Label Type property is set to Attribute Break. A SmartText field must be created for each property that is to be broken. In many cases the graphical shape of the label indicates which properties are broken. In these cases the Visible flag on the SmartText is set to False so that the text is not visible. It is also normal to turn the leader line on within the Catalog Manager so that it is automatically displayed at placement time. All of the symbols under Piping\Segment Breaks in the delivered catalog are break labels.
A break label can only be placed at a point where the specified properties are listed in the consistency criteria for the applicable rules. The break label stays attached to the point it was placed on and cannot be dragged away from it.